Thu Mar 20 17:20:00 UTC 2025: **March Madness Bracket Challenges Offer Millions in Prizes, Though Perfect Bracket Remains Elusive**
NEW YORK – As the NCAA March Madness college basketball tournament tips off, millions are vying for a piece of millions of dollars in prize money offered by various bracket challenge contests. While the odds of a perfect bracket—correctly predicting all 67 games—are astronomically low (one in 9.2 quintillion according to the NCAA), substantial prizes await those who come closest.
ESPN’s Men’s and Women’s Tournament Challenges offer multiple prizes, including $5,000 grand prizes for correctly picking the national champion. USA Today Sports is offering $1 million for a perfect men’s or women’s bracket, with $25,000 for the best overall bracket in each. The NCAA’s Bracket Challenge Sweepstakes awards a trip to the 2026 Final Four (men’s or women’s) to the top bracket pickers. Yahoo Sports offers $25,000 for a perfect bracket. Even Elon Musk is getting in on the action, offering a trip to Mars (or $250,000) for a perfect bracket on X. Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett is offering a $1 million prize to any employee who correctly predicts at least 30 of the first 32 games.
Despite the enticing prizes, the feat of a perfect bracket remains elusive. The NCAA notes that even with basketball knowledge, the odds improve only to one in 120.2 billion – far exceeding the odds of winning the Powerball or Mega Millions lotteries.
Duke is favored to win the men’s tournament, while South Carolina is the favorite in the women’s tournament. The men’s tournament begins Tuesday with the First Four, while the main bracket action starts Thursday. The women’s tournament begins Friday.
First Piper 